![]() ![]() One of the things that Bobby had learned about me, just from being around me, is that I had taken notes on the races from the time I was a really little kid. So I went up to the booth and talked to Bobby for a little bit. I’d like to do an interview with you about what it’s like being on the road with the World of Outlaws and seeing all the races.” He was on the mic that night, and said, “When you’re done selling programs, come up to the booth. So in September of ’96, we raced at Kings Speedway in Hanford, California, and Bobby came up to me before the races. That’s how I met Bobby Gerould, who was doing the pit reporting at the TNN races, and Bobby was doing a lot of PA announcing in California. So when I was done selling programs, I’d go work for the production company and maybe be a spotter for a cameraman or be a runner or whatever. Back in ’95 and ’96, World of Outlaws was televised on TNN. So I did that for the remainder of ’95 and for all of the 1996 season. Thought about it for about a half a second and said, “Sure.” Do you want to do the program gig from now on?” And so basically I’d be traveling with the World of Outlaws full-time selling programs. So I decided to go to Memphis and Houston and Dallas to do those races and by the end of the night, that Friday at Houston, they said, “Bill has definitely resigned. And while that was sort of in the process of happening, the Outlaw thing sort of happened. I had played in bands in Pennsylvania and moved to Indy with the idea of just a change in scenery and getting in a different band there. And actually at that time I wasn’t in a band. ![]() ![]() If I had a gig come up and had to leave a day job and worry about the next one when I came back, that’s what I did. #Kart racing outlaws jim johnson series#I was playing in rock bands and working like a series of day jobs that were pretty much dispensable. I really didn’t have anything pressing going on at the time. We race Wednesday in Memphis, Houston on Friday, and Devil’s Bowl Speedway on Saturday. Can you do the whole thing tonight?” Sure, I can do that.īy the end of the night, they said, “We still don’t know what’s going on with Bill. And the Outlaw merchandise people said, “Hey, can you sell programs tonight? We haven’t heard from Bill, we don’t know what’s going on. I went to help him at a race at I-96 Speedway in Michigan on the Monday after the King’s Royal in 1995, so that would have been July, and Bill wasn’t there. Started walking through the stands (saying), “Hey, get your program here.” It was a way to get into the races for free, maybe make a couple of bucks. I had met him through Kevin Eckert, who I had met as a race fan. I moved from Pennsylvania to Indianapolis in 1994 and started going to the Outlaw races to help Bill sell programs. There was a gentleman named Bill Woodside who was selling the programs at all of the Outlaw races. Met more people through the people I met originally, and one thing led to another and I started going to World of Outlaws races and helping them sell programs. Started going to races very young in Pennsylvania with my dad, met people involved in racing just from being around as a fan. Grew up as a race fan, never had any thoughts or really any real ideas of being an announcer. ![]() How did this all start for you? Did you grow up as a race fan, did you grow up wanting to be an announcer? My job is to provide information and help the fans at the racetrack understand and enjoy what they’re seeing and to describe everything to the people watching and listening at home on DIRTVision. What do your duties entail as part of your current job?īasically, I am the series announcer. This interview was recorded as a podcast but is also transcribed for those who prefer to read. Up next: Johnny Gibson, the voice of the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series. #Kart racing outlaws jim johnson android#Subscribe: Android | Google Podcasts | RSSĮach week, I ask a member of the racing community to shed some light on his or her career path. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |